Crane systems may be mounted to a utility vehicle such as a truck for transport of the crane system to a work site and for location and deployment of the crane system at the work site. Mobile cranes generally operate a telescopic boom mounted by a crane tower assembly to a support assembly. The support assembly is coupled with the vehicle frame for supporting the crane tower assembly and for providing rigid support against operational forces while the crane is deployed. The operational forces may be great when the boom is fully extended and when the crane is operating at or near maximum load capacity. Cranes also benefit from support across a range of angles relative to the vehicle body. Vehicle-mounted cranes may also include an outrigger assembly which has legs that are extendable telescopically from the rear or sides of the vehicle. The outrigger provides additional stability and support against forces acting on the crane.
Vehicle-mounted crane systems may have load capacities in the range of tens of thousands of foot-pounds. However, support systems for the crane system are fabricated from heavy rigid materials such as steel in order to provide resistance to operational forces acting on the crane. This results in a need for heavier vehicles on which to mount and transport the crane system. Heavier vehicles are larger and more expensive to produce.
Accordingly, there is a demand for crane support systems which have high load capacity and which may be mounted on and transported using smaller vehicles and subsequently deployed for operation while mounted to the smaller vehicle.